Understanding Lawmaking: A Lesson For Fourth Graders

Teaching fourth graders about how a bill becomes a law can be an engaging lesson. It is a great opportunity to introduce the three branches of the US government and the process of lawmaking. Laws are an important set of rules that govern our society, and it is essential for students to understand how they are created and enforced. Lesson plans can include interactive activities, videos, and discussions to make the topic fun and accessible for young learners.

The three branches of government

The United States government is made up of three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. Each branch has its own unique role and responsibilities and works together to create and enforce laws.

The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch is led by the President of the United States, who is responsible for enforcing the laws of the country. The President can choose to sign and pass a bill into law, veto it and send it back to the U.S. House of Representatives, or do nothing, which is called a pocket veto. The President is limited by the state and federal constitutions in the laws they can create and enforce.

The Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch is responsible for creating laws. In the United States, this branch includes the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. All laws begin as bills, which are proposed and introduced by Representatives. Bills must be approved by the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President before becoming laws. The legislative branch also includes committees and subcommittees that review, research, and revise bills before they are voted on.

The Judicial Branch

The Judicial Branch is responsible for interpreting and applying the laws created by the Legislative Branch. This branch includes the Supreme Court and lower courts, which hear cases and make decisions based on the laws established by the Legislative Branch. The Judicial Branch also provides a check on the other two branches, ensuring that the laws created and enforced are constitutional.

The bill's journey

All laws in the United States start as bills. A bill is a proposed law that has not yet been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. A bill's journey to becoming a law is a long one, and it must go through several steps and stages before it can become a law.

First, a bill needs to be proposed by a Representative. The Representative will discuss their idea with other Representatives to get their support. Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

The next step is for the bill to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This happens when it is placed in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. After being introduced, a bill clerk assigns it a number that starts with "H.R.", and a reading clerk reads the bill to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.

In the committee stage, the bill is reviewed, researched, and revised by a group of Representatives who are experts on the topic. The committee members may also send the bill to a subcommittee for further examination and to gather expert opinions. If the committee approves the bill, it is reported to the House floor and is ready to be debated.

During the debate, Representatives discuss the bill and explain their reasons for supporting or opposing it. A reading clerk then reads the bill section by section, and the Representatives recommend changes. Once all the changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

The final stage of a bill's journey is the voting process. There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives: viva voce, division, and recorded. If a majority of the Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is then sent to the U.S. Senate, where it goes through similar steps. If it passes in the Senate, the bill is sent to the President.

The President has three choices: sign and pass the bill, veto the bill, or do nothing (pocket veto). If the President signs the bill, it becomes a law. If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to the House, and the House and Senate can hold another vote to override the veto. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law. If the President does nothing, the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days if Congress is in session.

Committees, lobbying, filibuster, and presidential actions

Committees

Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a committee. Committee members are groups of representatives who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations. They will research, discuss, and make changes to the bill before voting on whether or not to send it back to the House floor. If the committee members would like more information before deciding, the bill is sent to a subcommittee, where it is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered.

Lobbying

Lobbying is a paid activity in which special interest groups hire well-connected professional advocates, often lawyers, to argue for specific legislation. Lobbying takes place at every level of government and targets decision-makers such as Congress and executive branch agencies. Lobbying can have a strong influence on the political system, and there are complex rules that lobbyists must follow. If they don't, they can face penalties, including jail time.

Filibuster

In the Senate, a filibuster is an attempt to delay or block a vote on a piece of legislation. To do this, a senator or group of senators can engage in unlimited debate, meaning they can talk for as long as they can to prevent a bill from getting to a vote. This tactic has been used to block civil rights legislation and is considered by some to be a threat to democracy.

Presidential Actions

Once a bill has passed in the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is sent to the President. The President has three choices: they can sign and pass the bill, which becomes a law; they can refuse to sign or veto the bill, sending it back to the House with their reasons for the veto; or they can do nothing, which is called a pocket veto. If the President chooses to veto a bill, Congress can vote to override that veto, and the bill becomes a law. If Congress is not in session, the bill will be vetoed by default and cannot be overridden.

How laws are created

Laws are created to protect people and property. In the United States, citizens elect lawmakers who are responsible for creating laws. These lawmakers are limited by state and federal constitutions, which outline what they can and cannot do. The process of creating a law typically begins with a bill, which is a proposed new law that lawmakers want to see passed and enforced.

The Journey of a Bill

Before a bill can become a law, it must go through several steps and be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. Here is a step-by-step guide to how a bill becomes a law:

The Bill Is Proposed:

A Representative or citizen comes up with an idea for a new law. The Representative discusses the idea with other Representatives to gain their support. Once the bill has a sponsor and enough support, it is ready to be introduced.

The Bill Is Introduced:

In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced by placing it in the hopper, a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. A bill clerk assigns it a number, and a reading clerk reads it aloud to all the Representatives. The Speaker of the House then sends the bill to a House standing committee.

The Bill Goes to Committee:

The committee, made up of Representatives who are experts in relevant areas, reviews, researches, and revises the bill. If they need more information, they may send the bill to a subcommittee for further examination and expert opinions. Once the committee is satisfied, they vote on whether to send the bill back to the House floor.

The Bill Is Reported:

Once the committee approves a bill, it is sent back to the House floor for debate. Representatives discuss the bill, explaining their agreements and disagreements. A reading clerk reads the bill section by section, and Representatives recommend changes.

The Bill Is Voted On:

There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives: viva voce (voice vote), division, and recorded vote. If a majority of Representatives vote yes, the bill passes in the House and is certified by the Clerk before being delivered to the U.S. Senate.

The Bill Is Referred to the Senate:

The bill goes through similar steps in the Senate, being discussed in a committee and then reported to the Senate floor for a vote. Senators vote by voice, with supporters saying "yea" and opponents saying "nay." If the bill passes in the Senate, it is sent to the President.

The Bill Is Sent to the President:

The President has three choices: sign and pass the bill into law, veto the bill and send it back to Congress, or do nothing (pocket veto). If Congress is in session and the President does nothing for 10 days, the bill automatically becomes law.

Overriding a Veto:

If the President vetoes a bill, it is sent back to Congress along with the President's reasons. If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators still support the bill, they can hold another vote, and the President's veto can be overridden. The bill then becomes a law.

Understanding the Law-Making Process

It is important for students to understand how laws are created and how they can affect their daily lives. While it is impossible to know every law, knowing the basics of the law-making process empowers citizens to suggest new laws and change unfair ones.

How to change an unfair law

So, you want to change an unfair law? Well, the good news is that you don't have to sit back and accept it. You can try to get it changed, and here's how.

First, you need to know who made the law. Is it a local law, a state law, or a federal law? Local laws are sometimes called ordinances. Once you've figured that out, you need to contact the people who made the law. If it's a federal law, you need to get in touch with your elected representatives. Remember, in the United States, we elect people to make our laws. You can contact your representatives to discuss your ideas for changing the law, and if they agree, they can research and propose a new bill.

Before a bill can become a law, it must be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President. So, your representatives will need to find a sponsor for the bill and get support from other representatives. Once the bill has been introduced, it will be placed in a hopper—a special box on the side of the clerk's desk. Then, a bill clerk will assign it a number, and a reading clerk will read it out to all the representatives. After that, the bill goes to a committee for review, research, and revision. If the committee needs more information, the bill is sent to a subcommittee for a closer examination. Once the committee has finished its work, the bill is reported to the House floor for debate and voting.

If the bill passes in the U.S. House of Representatives, it will be certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate, where it will go through many of the same steps. If it passes in the Senate, it will be sent to the President. The President has three choices: sign and pass the bill, veto the bill, or do nothing (a pocket veto). If the President vetoes the bill, it will be sent back to the House of Representatives, along with the reasons for the veto. If the House and the Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote, and if two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President's veto can be overridden, and the bill becomes a law.

Changing an unfair law is not always easy, but it is possible. It's important to remember that until a law is changed, everyone affected by it has to obey it, whether they agree with it or not. So, make sure you know the laws that affect you and don't be afraid to speak up if you think a law needs to be changed!

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